A briefcase with duct tape on it -- left outside a bank in French Valley -- prompted a bomb squad response Friday morning, Aug. 2.

The contents turned out to be harmless, authorities said.

The suspicious briefcase was reported to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department about 10 a.m. outside the Wells-Fargo bank branch in the Vons shopping center at Murrieta Hot Springs Road and Sky Canyon Drive.

Lt. Mike Maddux said the briefcase had been left next to a car in the parking lot and appeared to have wires sticking out of it.

Deputies evacuated the bank and blocked off a portion of the shopping center parking lot.

The sheriff's Hazardous Device Team was called out to inspect the briefcase and determined there were no explosives inside, he said.

Officers were at the scene investigating for a few hours.

Follow Sarah Burge on Twitter @sarahkburge or online at blog.pe.com/crime-blotter

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